Understanding what the fuss is all about: A primer on the M-STEP
The new school year coincides with the release of the last school year’s state assessment data (2017-18) — the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP)...
The NAEP and M-Step: Where Hope Goes to Die
All across the state this past week were news headlines pronouncing the failure of Michigan’s students and schools on standardized tests. Instead, the headlines should have pronounced the NAEP, the M-STEP and PISA as failures...
Leaders begin transition of center programs from GRPS to Kent ISD
The Grand Rapids school board voted to discontinue operating special education center programs on behalf of all 20 Kent ISD school districts, effectively turning them over to the intermediate district as of July 2019...
Coalition launches new vision for education
Business leaders, school management organizations, teacher and school staff associations and philanthropic groups are joining forces to make public education the cornerstone of Michigan’s continued economic recovery...
Dear Secretary DeVos: don’t overlook needs of the whole student
In a time of dramatic change and challenge in public schools, teachers increasingly have made their voices heard regarding policies of the U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Betsy DeVos...
Giving back as others gave to them
Three sisters, refugees from Rwanda, devote their Monday evenings to volunteering at the Learning Café, an education center in Grand Rapids that serves refugee children...
From conflict to commencement: African refugee finds success through perseverance
In the fall, Jeanette Mukampabuka will begin studying for an engineering or nursing degree at Western Michigan University and wants to eventually pursue her master’s degree...
Students help refugee peers adjust to life, schools in the U.S.
Students from a handful of area high schools are making an impact at two West Michigan organizations tasked with helping refugee students and their families succeed...
Michigan Teacher of the Year tells DeVos his concerns about school choice
East Kentwood’s Luke Wilcox and other State Teachers of the Year had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and shared their concerns about her policies on vouchers and charters...
Lessons in how to handle grief take center stage at this elementary school
Staff at Cedar View Elementary find ways to help students understand and deal with grief...
Let’s review center-based special education programs, say superintendents
A study will bring in an outside consultant to evaluate whether GRPS center-based programs are providing best practices compared with other districts in Michigan and beyond...
Teachers learn alongside students in ‘read-aloud’ classroom tour
A quartet of literacy coaches from Kent ISD recently led a trio of early literacy essentials read-aloud field trips for teachers, administrators and other K-12 staff...
School safety supervisor: putting out fires and building relationships
As safety supervisor, Jeff Wainwright believes building relationships, along with securing doors and scanning cameras, creates the strongest sense of security for students...
Officer looks out for students’ safety, shares life skills, lends a caring ear
Officer Todd Summerhays’ main role is to ensure safety by securing buildings, monitoring surveillance videos and responding quickly and appropriately to anything amiss...
Michigan’s NAEP Scores: What do they mean? Probably not what you think
32 Percent of Michigan’s 4th Graders Score at 7th Grade Level on the NAEP.
Did you miss that headline last week? I did too.
That’s because it wasn’t reported. Instead, Michigan’s schools and students were slammed by pundits because just 32...
At these schools, students’ hearts and minds are both nurtured
Endeavor and Challenger elementary schools are both recipients of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools Award
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
